Undocumented Pinoys in Belgium urged to avail themselves of new migration policy

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Embassy in Belgium urged undocumented Filipinos to avail of the Belgian government’s new migration policy for the regularization of undocumented migrants.

Belgian Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy (Flemish Christian Democrat) announced in a press conference last July 19 the details of the Federal Government agreement on regularization of undocumented migrants.

Under the new regularization policy, illegal migrants who lived in Belgium for at least five years and had filed their initial applications for regularization on or before 18 March 2009 can re-submit their applications with the Office for Foreigners of the Ministry of Interior starting on Sept. 15, 2009 up to Dec. 15, 2009.

Applications shall then be assessed by the Secretary of State for Asylum and Immigration vis-à-vis the implementing guidelines on regularization.

If approved, the undocumented migrant will be granted with the necessary papers that will allow them to stay in Belgium legally.

Meanwhile, people who have been working in Belgium for at least two and a half years can apply for a residence permit. They are required to submit a labor contract and a regional labor card.

Applicants for both categories must prove that they are well-integrated into the Belgian community for their applications to be successful. Other factors, among others, that can count in the applicants’ favor include knowledge of the local language, employment status, families with children at school, earlier credible attempts to obtain a legal residence in Belgium, and sustainable social local ties. – Pia Lee-Brago